CORRECTION: Lindsey Sweetin did not admit guilt to a charge of false reporting when she entered into a diversion agreement with Washington County prosecutors. This information was omitted in this article.
FAYETTEVILLE -- Prosecutors reached a diversion agreement Tuesday with a University of Arkansas at Fayetteville student charged with felony false reporting after police said she made up a story about being groped by a man in a campus parking garage.
Lindsey Sweetin, 20, will have the charge dismissed in a year if she follows conditions set forth in the agreement approved by Washington County Circuit Judge Mark Lindsay.
Sweetin agreed to continue counseling with a mental health professional. She also agreed to make a $1,500 donation to a shelter for victims of domestic violence in lieu of paying fines or restitution. To have the charge dismissed, Sweetin also must "not commit any violations of Federal, State or local laws," the agreement states.
University police issued a community warning March 9 after Sweetin described to authorities being grabbed and groped by a man who asked for help jump-starting his car at the Harmon Avenue Parking Garage.
But a police affidavit filed in court stated that camera footage at the garage failed to show any man matching Sweetin's description. The affidavit stated that Sweetin later admitted in an interview with police to being untruthful. On March 11, UA sent out a community message that the report was false.
Last year, a similar case led to the false reporting conviction of a woman who told police that she was raped by a man in a black ski mask at a campus parking deck on North Garland Avenue. Julia Garcia, a UA freshman at the time of the initial report, was sentenced to three years of probation and was ordered to pay a $1,250 fine.
"No two cases are identical, even though they may be the same charge," said Matt Durrett, prosecuting attorney for the 4th Judicial District. Terry Harper, the attorney for Sweetin, did not respond to a call seeking comment.
Metro on 08/19/2015